1. THE FAMILY V. THE DIGITAL
AGE
The Ugly, the Bad, and the
Good

2. We begin our tale in the home of the
“Smith” family. (All names have been
changed)

3. Dad sits in his chair, laptop on his
lap, checking the status of his stocks all
while watching his favorite sports team.

4. Bobbie (12) is sitting on the floor
playing the latest game on his
PlayStation 3.

5. Sandra (16) has her thumbs
flying along the keyboard of
her phone as she texts her
closest friends – all 8 of them
– at the same time.

6. Mom is in the kitchen checking the
latest Pinterest recipes, while gossiping
with her “bestie” Marge about the
latest group drama

7. And so the story goes that this family, while all at home together, are
lost from each other, absorbed in the so-called digital age.
So exactly how has the advent of technology affected the
family? And just exactly what is the digital age all about?
And why are we as human beings so interested in this technology
anyway?
As with most new crazes, it is possible to find the good as well as
the bad. And technology certainly has a big amount of both.
“With every new technology of the 20th century, there have been
public concerns about both the promises and the perils that
technologies serve for children, and it’s been no different in the
digital age.” (Carpenter, 2000)

8. The Digital Age and Research
 75 percent of all US teens now own a cell phone
 88 percent of all US teens, and 72 percent of all US teen cell phone owners, are text
messagers
 54 percent of all US teens texted daily in September 2009
 83 percent of all US 17 year olds own a cell phone in 2009
 32 percent of all US teens share videos on their cell phones (Lenhart et al.)

9. “According to a June 2005 report, approximately 194.4 million or sixty-six percent of the
United States population owned a cell phone. Conversely according to a June 2010
report, 292.8 million Americans own a cell phone, which equals about ninety-three percent of
the entire United States population. Further, 2010 statistics also reveal that 292.8 million
Americans sent about 173.2 billion text messages per month, with an annual text messaging
rate of 1.81 trillion.” (Koch)
“The Guardian (2004) estimated that the
number of 7–10-year-olds owning a mobile
telephone had almost doubled in the previous
3 years from 13% in 2001 to 25% in
2004.”(Bell, 2008)

10. So just what is the digital age?
“The digital age is distinguished by rapid transformations in
the kinds of technological mediation through which we
encounter one another. ..emails, mobile phone calls, text
messaging, instant messaging, chat, web boards, social
networks, photo sharing, video sharing, multiplayer
gaming, and more.” (Baym, 2010)
“Advancements in modern technology
continue to foster growth of a global
communication network that allows
individuals the ability to instantly connect and
communicate with one other. “ (Koch)

11. THE UGLY
• Sexting
“In the hands of teens, when revealing photos are made public, the subject
almost always ends up feeling humiliated.” (2012)
• Pornography
“…the research at hand establishes that consumption of pornography is a
significant contributing factor in the creation of perceptions, dispositions, and
behaviors that reflect…the erosion of family values…” (Weaver, 2013)
• Violence
“The Internet has provided a new medium for the victimization of children, and
sexual exploitation in cyberspace is among the most dangerous threats to youth
online.” (Berson, 2002)
• Gambling
“…online casinos never close, but consistently and relentlessly maintain a steady
rhythm of play that keeps addicts glued to their screens alone …” (Schaefer, 2012)
• Cyber Bullying
“Youth today have adopted a new and distinct form of bullying that has
changed the rules of mockery, insults and harm.” (Cassidy, 2009)
All of these “ugly” products of the digital age not only disrupt
family relationships, but can destroy them.

12. The “Ugly” Facts
22% of teen girls and 20% of
teen boys have sent nude or
seminude photos of
themselves over the Internet or
their phones.
--------
22% of teens admit that
technology makes them
personally more forward and
aggressive.
--------
38% of teens say exchanging
sexy content makes dating or
hooking up with others more
likely.
--------
29% of teens believe those
exchanging sexy content are
“expected” to date or hook
up.
(All of the above are fromCosmoGirl and the
National Campaign to Prevent Teen
Pregnancy, 2009.)

13. • Isolation
“Social-networking sites like Facebook and MySpace may
provide people with a false sense of connection that ultimately
increases loneliness in people who feel alone.”(Cornblatt, 2009)
• Less recreation and time for educational pursuits
“…the use of electronic and digital devices negatively affects
the time kids spend reading books (41%), doing physical activities
(40%), and engaging with family (33%).” (Scholastic, 2010)
• Disruption of family time
“In many ways, digital devices have made family life more
complicated and subject to distraction.” (Gordon, 2012)
“Once the walls between home and the outside world
come down, it's hard to build them back up again.”
(Williamson)

14. THE GOOD
Supports Positive Relationships within families
“New media technologies can assist in increasing interaction
amongst families by bringing generations and family members together.”
(Corcoran, 2012)
Encourages good social and cognitive skills
“Studies indicated that the media can promote prosocial
behavior, that some computer games can hone visual intelligence and the
classroom use of the Internet” enriches “the way kids
learn.”(Carpenter, 2000)
Helps families to keep in touch when separated by miles
One mother tells of her children being able to still have contact
with their family in Australia. She says, “they still have a relationship, thanks
to regular visits with Skype.” (Gordon, 2012)
“Text messaging allows” a father “to keep in touch with his teenage
sons on days when they are at their mothers.” (Gordon, 2012)